“Nervous breakdown” isn’t a clinical term and it’s not considered a mental illness, says Erin Engle, PsyD. It is more of a catchall term that references multiple psychological ailments in situations where a person cannot function normally because of overwhelming stress.
Engle shares a few common signs that someone is feeling overwhelmed and not having an entirely healthy response to stress.
Source: Health, December 2020. Link.
Also see: The difference between an anxiety attack and a panic attack, Amen Clinics, August 26, 2021. Link.
These symptoms of anxiety can build up slowly and be temporary in response to a certain situation, or they can last for days, even months. Without coping strategies to get the worries and fears under control, these symptoms can interfere with normal and healthy functioning.”